Fall tends to be peak season for home maintenance tasks. As it cools off (and the leaves begin to fall), there are a number of things you need to do to clean up after the summer, and prep for the winter. One of the major to-do’s you should put on your fall calendar is gutter and downspout cleaning. Here are a few important reasons why.

Fall is Coming

When fall arrives, leaves, twigs, and other tree debris will clog your gutters. If your gutters have already collected dirt and debris, they're going to be quickly blocked. Get ahead of it by preparing for the fall now, with freshly cleaned gutters. It's worth it to get into a schedule, as you may need to clean your gutters as much as every two weeks during the fall season, depending on how many trees are around you. Cleaning your gutters now will give you time to prepare: do you need new gloves? Is your ladder still easy to use?

Of course, if you hate your gutter cleaning, you should consider hiring a professional team. Working with a well-known service before fall truly hits is always a good idea: they're going to be much busier during the middle of fall!

Clear Out the Pests

Pests tend to collect in gutters. During the year, bird nests may have been built in your gutters, and squirrels may have left behind leaves, branches, and twigs. You may have bugs nesting in the gutters, too, and these bugs are going to proliferate quickly. The spring and summer months are full of life, but you don't want that life to continue to live in your gutters. Clear them out before fall hits to give your gutters a new start, and to make sure you aren't importing any pests transferring directly into your home.

If you notice any serious pest infestations (or dangerous infestations, such as wasps), call your pest control service rather than trying to deal with them directly. Likewise, if you recognize termites, you should take immediate action. Termites can easily move from gutters into your home, causing extensive damage as they go.

Playhouse Siding Ideas

One of the great things about a playhouse is that it's really just a small house. After you're done designing the initial structure, you can build it out just like you would build out another property. That includes colorful, fun siding options. You'll also need to choose whether you want it vertical or horizontal.

Wood or vinyl siding will make your playhouse really look like an actual house. Both are going to be long-lasting, and will protect the internal structure from any damage. Vinyl siding tends to be easier to maintain.

Protect Against Water Damage

Fall brings with it an early chill and rain, and that can be dangerous if your gutters are clogged. Gutters are important: they collect water runoff and transfer it harmlessly away from your property.

If your gutters are currently blocked, the first heavy rain is going to lead to standing water on your roof. Your roof could become damaged and start leaking, and when your roof starts leaking, it can be a difficult (and expensive) problem to fix.

Further, water is going to trip off your roof instead of being routed away from your property. That means that it's going to collect around your foundation, potentially causing water damage.

Test the entire drainage system, because it's possible for the gutters to be clear but the downspouts to be clogged. If the downspouts themselves are clogged, you may need professional help to unclog them.

There are a lot of reasons why you should clean your gutters. Ultimately, you need to do your gutter and downspout cleaning eventually, and you might as well do it before fall gets into swing. For more information about gutter cleaning (and gutter repair and replacement), contact the experts at Exterior Medics.